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France 24
France 24
World
FRANCE 24

UNESCO adds West Bank site, Lebanese castles to World Heritage List despite Israeli opposition

UNESCO World Heritage West Bank Israel Lebanon Sebastia Hezbollah
A Palestinian visitor takes a photo at the Roman historical site in the West Bank town of Sebastia on November 20, 2025
A Palestinian visitor takes a photo at the Roman historical site in the West Bank town of Sebastia on November 20, 2025. © Nasser Nasser, AP

UNESCO added a major archaeological site in the West Bank and a group of historic castles in southern Lebanon to its World Heritage List, defying Israeli objections and reigniting a long-running dispute over the intersection of cultural heritage and politics in the region.

A United Nations committee on Friday inscribed a major archaeological site in the West Bank and a group of castles in southern Lebanon on the World Heritage List, despite objections from Israel, which had urged the committee to reject the bids.

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